7 Steps to Homeownership

We can help you throughout the home buying process. In most cases, your real estate agent is paid by the seller through a commitment already agreed to between the listing broker and the seller. So there are no direct costs to you. Here are the seven basic steps to home ownership:

Buyer needs assessment: In this one to two hour meeting we simply talk about the process and guide you through a thoughtful process to establish search parameters. This is a critical meeting and when done with a trained real estate agent can save you both time and money in the home buying process.
Loan qualification: This takes about one hour with a loan officer. Our agents deal with different lenders in a whole host of scenarios. We have seen good loans and bad ones. You can use our agents as sounding boards for your particular situation. We are prepared to coach you through this event to make this a more productive process for you.
The home search: This step takes an indefinite time. Sometimes the search is only a few days. Sometimes it can take months. Our objective is to minimize the stress on you to make this a quick, simple and comfortable process for you. In any case, we will never put pressure on you to buy anything. Our agents are there simply to consult and guide you safely along the path to home ownership.
Selection and offer: Once you choose a house that you want to purchase, our agent will advise you on fair market value and help you to prepare an offer that suits your best interest.
Contract negotiation: This can be as short as a few hours or could take several days. Our agent will represent you, with your consent, and help you to craft a deal that is best for you.
Contract execution: This can take as much as 4 to 6 weeks if a loan is involved in the deal. During this step you will want to obtain the Good Faith Estimate from your preferred lender or competing lenders. In this step, any and all contract contingencies need to be satisfied. We will guide you through this process and protect your best interests.
Closing: This takes about one hour. Our agent will have been communicating with the selected attorney for weeks prior to closing to make sure all the details are addressed. Our commitment to you is that there are no surprises at the closing table. This should be a happy day—a day of celebration. But it will only be happy if it goes well. It’s our job to make sure it does.

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